Elizabeth Marie Cummings

WEST BOYLSTON- Elizabeth Marie Cummings, 99, died in her home at 6 Church Street, West Boylston, MA on 3 April 2018. She was born on January 16, 1919 in Springfield, MA to Charles H. Cummings, Thompson, CT and Gladys M. Howe Cummings, West Boylston, MA. She graduated from Russel Sage College, Troy, NY with a Home Economics B. S. degree in 1940. Shortly after graduation she was employed by the food company, Charles Hansen's Laboratories, Inc. Little Falls, NY demonstrating Junket products at homes, stores and institutions until May 1943. She then was employed by the US Army as an apprentice and student dietitian at the Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado until her graduation in May 1944, when she was commissioned as an officer in the US Army. She served as an hospital dietitian in the Regional Hospital, Fort Knox, KY until June 1945, when she was promoted to First Lieutenant and assigned to the 304th General Hospital on the island of Tinian in the South Pacific. The 304th planned to move forward to support the invasion of Japan, which proved unneeded due to the end of World War II. She was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

After her discharge from the Army, she attended Boston University and earned an art degree. Her civilian working years were spent with the General Offset Printing Company in Springfield, MA as a commercial artist. When she retired to the family home in West Boylston, MA she was a very active member of the First Congregational Church of West Boylston and the West Boylston Woman's Club. She was a member of American Legion Post 204 and was a direct descendant of Ezra Beaman, the founder of West Boylston.

She was predeceased in 2011 by her brother, Waldo Beaman Cummings and a nephew, Warren Bradford Cummings in 2017. Her younger brother, Richard H. Cummings, lives in Beverly Hills, MI. She has two nephews, W. Beaman Cummings Jr living in West Boylston, MA and Roger H. Cummings of Birmingham, MI.

A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church of West Boylston, 26 Central Street at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, 10 April 2018. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the First Congregational Church, 26 Central Street, West Boylston, MA 01583 or the American Legion Post 204, 159 Hartwell Street, West Boylston, MA 01583. Arrangements are in the care of FAY BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 1 West Boylston Street, West Boylston.